Chapter 310 The Caravan Returns to the City

Chapter 310 The Caravan Returns to the City

The sheepskin raft glided into the protruding water bay. Old Shuan steadied the raft with a pole. Sui Liang and Gan Da lugged the money boxes ashore, and Old Shuan's eldest son also helped move the boxes.

As soon as the sheepskin raft was empty, Old Shuan pushed it off. A silk-laden sheepskin raft followed closely to take its place. Gan Da moved in to unload the cargo.

Sui Liang kept watch over the money boxes. Half a mile downstream, a larger sheepskin raft, big enough for two camels, also pulled in. The bay's current near the shore was two inches wider than the raft itself. The raft jammed, and the boatman wedged two thick poles into the cracks of submerged boulders. He bellowed, and the servants on the raft shouted "Heave!" The two camels, kneeling, finally rose. The raft rocked violently as they moved, and the boatman, straining against the poles, was drenched in sweat.

The camels, probably seasick, stumbled ashore and promptly knelt down again. Soon, the ground was dotted with kneeling camels, like clusters of brownish-yellow boulders.

Sui Liang and Song Xian tallied their money boxes, while the servants inspected the fabrics for water damage. The boatmen, afloat, checked the rafts for damage.

After everyone finished, they compared accounts and settled the fare.

With the fare settled, the boatmen hauled away most of the rafts and departed. Xiao Chunhong, Qingshan, and A'niu trailed the Song family servants. For the next fortnight, they’d find no farms, so they planned to restock at Hongchiling’s base.

The sun now hung high overhead. The rest of the group stayed put, catching their breath. Sui Liang scanned the river downstream, but the five officers were nowhere in sight.

"Li Wu, hand Song the Head of the Household her fifty strings of coins," Sui Liang said. "Elder Sister Song, the officers wouldn’t take the money, so I didn’t push it. Next time we head to Chang'an, we’ll send them some fine wine and quality leather."

Song Xian raised an eyebrow. "They refused? That’s odd."

"Maybe they were scared Officer Zuo would catch wind of it," Sui Liang chuckled.

"Then we saved some money," Song Xian said, signaling her servants to take the fifty strings of coins. She glanced in the direction the boatmen had left and said, "We'll leave after noon. We can't stay near here tonight. For us, places without people are more reassuring than places with people."

Sui Liang listened to her.

Xiao Chunhong bought half a basket of tender broad beans and two pieces of old cured meat from the village. With these ingredients, she cooked five pots of rice. The caravan members had a hearty meal, tied the money boxes and goods onto the camels, drank the salty meat-flavored rice soup, and set off with the camels.

As the caravan entered the forest, a group of sun-tanned children chattered and ran over, picking up a few dropped coins from the ground and collecting camel dung. Young and unaware of greed, a basket of camel dung and two or three coins could make them happy for half a day.

At dusk, the children collecting dung prepared to go home for dinner when they encountered "Leech," who had rushed over from the town after hearing the news.

"Kid, where's the caravan that crossed the river today?"

"They left, they left after noon."

"Was it the caravan with Tiger Bone Wine?"

The children looked around. They all knew "Leech." While the boatmen extorted money from the caravan, Leech and his gang sucked blood from the boatmen.

"Speak up! Are you mute?"

"It was them, but I heard my father say they don't have Tiger Bone Wine anymore. They said they'll send it next year if they find it when they go out of the pass," said the tallest boy.

"Boss, should we chase after them? The caravan won't move fast with their goods," asked a man with shifty eyes.

Leech thought of his father's leg. He looked up at the snowy mountain not far away, pondered for a moment, and then led the eight men who had followed him, tracking the camel hoof prints.

The children quickly ran back with their dung baskets, telling their families the news. Most people didn't care much, but Old Shuan was restless. Only he and his eldest son knew that the Sui caravan still had Tiger Bone Wine. If Leech caught up with them, the jar of Tiger Bone Wine the young innkeeper had promised him would likely end up in Leech's hands.

"Da Cheng, take the flatbread your mother made at noon and go check the situation," Old Shuan said.

"Check what? How can I, walking, catch up with those riding camels and mules?" Da Cheng was reluctant. "If I chase after them now, I definitely won't catch up with Leech. Are you expecting me to warn the caravan?"

After much deliberation, Old Shuan insisted that his eldest son chase after them. "Leech came in a hurry, so he probably didn't bring any provisions. After tonight, he'll have to turn back. Don't sleep tonight, chase after them. If you catch up with the caravan, let them know, and then go with them to Dunhuang. Take the Tiger Bone Wine and come back with a passing caravan."

Da Cheng was driven out of the house. He had no choice but to carry two bundles and set off.

"Hey Da Cheng, where are you headed?" someone asked.

"Just out for a stroll—actually, visiting family."

The questioner glanced at the sky; the sunset was fading fast, and darkness was closing in.

The caravan halted as the sky turned pitch black. They rested by the riverbank, had a quick hot meal, and both the weary travelers and camels settled in for the night.

Near midnight, the night watch heard hoofbeats from their back trail and spotted a few flickering lights. They roused the sleepers, and the servants deftly loaded and secured the cargo in the dark.

After about half an hour, Gan Da and Gan Er did a torch-lit sweep to make sure nothing was left behind, then hustled everyone to catch up with the camels and press on in the dark.

At the mountain's base, Ma Huang and his crew caught the noise from above. Anxious and furious, he didn’t care if they could hear him, yelling that he wasn’t there to rob them.

Da Cheng, stepping out of the woods, heard the racket and let out a relieved breath. It seemed the caravan had already heard the commotion.

"Boss Ma, should we keep chasing?"

"Chase."

The camel hauling the money box stumbled on a loose rock slick with snowmelt as it crossed the river. Its legs gave way, and the overloaded camel crashed down. The camels’ mournful cries filled the air, stirring up unease.

"Damn it, I don’t know where it’s hurt, but it’s bleeding. I can smell it," A'niu yelled. "Quick, get a torch over here! The money box is busted, and coins are all over the place."

The torch was nearly spent, its flame flickering. A few steps, and the wind snuffed it out.

An impatient sigh escaped someone, and frustration ignited a violent edge in the group. Qingshan pulled out his machete and growled, "We’re done running. With this many of us, we can take those bastards following us."

"Yeah, if they’re dumb enough to follow, they’re not walking away."

"There can’t be many tailing us. Even if it comes to a fight, we’ve got the upper hand," Zhang Shun murmured to Sui Liang.

Song Xian’s servants were even more riled up. Fuming, she went along with it: "We’re done running. One comes, we kill one. Two come, we kill two. Everyone, machetes out. We’ll hold our ground here."

At daybreak, Ma Huang and his eight thugs caught up. From afar, he saw a shadowy cluster of people and camels, hard to tell apart, but he could sense the fierce hostility.

"We’re not here to rob. Don’t get it twisted," Ma Huang barked. "We’re from the village below. We’re here to ask a favor."

Sui Liang’s face went blank for a second. He glanced at Zhang Shun, who scratched his nose, then at Li Wu, the night watchman. Li Wu looked down—it wasn’t his fault; with the caravan hauling so much cash, every rustle made him think of thieves.

"Let’s take a break," Song Xian said. "We’ve been up all night, and a camel’s hurt. We’ll rest today and move out at first light tomorrow."

The machetes fell to the ground, and people slid down against the camels. The servants, still seething with anger, glared at the troublemakers below.

"How’s the camel?" Sui Liang asked.

"The joint in the front leg is injured. We’ll see if it can stand tomorrow. The belly was cut by a sharp stone and is bleeding, but it’s not serious. Their skin is thick; it’ll scab over in a couple of days," the veterinarian replied.

"What if it can’t walk tomorrow?" Sui Liang looked at Song Xian.

"Release it into the wild," Song Xian said. "Leave it here. Once its leg heals, it can go wherever it wants."

Sui Liang smiled slightly, stroking the fallen camel’s mane. "Let it go. When you pass by next year, it might come back to find you."

Song Xian smiled; the child was being naive again. They were not far from the mountain base, where grass grew lush among the rocks, and there was a forest below. Once released, the camel wouldn’t lack food or drink. It would be foolish to return and do hard labor.

Snoring could be heard as some of the servants had already fallen asleep. Song Xian also yawned, watching the nine men approaching. The leader, a big-bellied man with a fierce face, was clearly no good.

About ten feet away from the caravan, Ma Huang stopped. He first apologized for the panic he caused, then explained the purpose of his visit.

"My name is Ma Wang, nicknamed Leech, and I oversee the boatmen at the river crossing down the mountain. I don’t know if you’ve heard of me. If not, no worries. Next time you pass by, ask around and mention my name, and the boatmen won’t dare to cause you trouble," Ma Wang said earnestly. "I caught up with you for the Tiger Bone Wine you’re carrying. I have an old father who used to row boats by the river when he was young. Now that he’s older, his legs ache so badly he can’t walk. Earlier this year, I heard that Tiger Bone Wine could cure his condition, and after some inquiries, I tracked it down to you. You gave Old Shuan the Tiger Bone Wine to ensure a safe crossing, didn’t you? Hand over the Tiger Bone Wine, and I’ll guarantee you a safe crossing—no cheating, no tricks, no threats from any boatman."

Song Xian’s eyes lit up as she glanced at Sui Liang. This was worth a shot; Leech was a better ally than Old Shuan.

"Alright, I do have a jar of Tiger Bone Wine at home. When I return, I’ll send it over with a passing merchant caravan," Sui Liang said.

"Just one jar? Does that include the one you promised Old Shuan?" Leech asked.

Sui Liang’s eyelids twitched. He clenched his hands and said, "I’m not sure when I’ll cross the river again. How could I have promised him in advance? There’s only this one jar. The rest is just a small pot, leftovers we’ve kept for ourselves."

Leech was testing him. After some thought, he decided one jar would suffice. It would last his father a year, and he’d figure something out afterward.

"Make sure the caravan delivers it. After July, I’ll have someone wait by the river. When the caravan arrives, they’ll mention my name, and someone will come to collect the wine," Leech said. "Give me your names so I can spread the word when I get back."

"The Sui Merchant Caravan and the Song Merchant Caravan, led by Sui Yu and Song Xian respectively," Sui Liang said.

"Keep an eye out for the two women merchants from Dunhuang. I’m Song, and I’ll always be with the caravan when it passes by. Remember my face," Song Xian said. "If I run into Parthian merchants later, I’ll trade for more Tiger Bone Wine for you."

Leech glanced at her and said, "I’ve heard of you. If you mention female merchants, I’ll know. By the way, do you have any food? We’ve only had rice water since yesterday morning."

Xiao Chunhong took out a bag of fried rice and tossed it over.

Once the deal was done, the two groups slept apart. Leech and his henchmen had a hot meal with the caravan at noon, and after eating their fill, they turned back down the mountain.

Da Cheng had walked all night, his legs almost giving way. After resting for two hours, he heard the sound of hooves and quickly ran to hide behind a large rock. Hearing the henchmen buttering up Leech, his heart sank.

After resting for a day and a night, the caravan set off again. The injured camel could hardly stand, much less climb mountains.

Song Xian had someone remove its bell, and from then on, it was far from its homeland but free.

As the caravan moved ahead, the abandoned camel bellowed, calling for its herd. It tried to follow but could only watch as the herd moved further away. Eventually, it lay down, listening to the fading sound of hooves.

As the sun set and the moon rose, the stars shifted, and the sound of hooves disappeared. The injured camel stood up, ate some bean pulp, and kicked stones with its hind legs, causing the sound of hooves to echo through the mountains once more.

...

Half a month later, the caravan descended Hongchiling. A ten-man team waiting in Wuwei County presented a horsewhip given by Zhao Xiping. Sui Liang was overjoyed, as they now had soldiers to escort them.

Sui Liang was eager to return home, and the caravan hurried along, finally arriving in Dunhuang on the fifth day of the sixth month.

"Mother—" Lvya'er’s eyes lit up when she saw Song Xian. She dismounted and ran toward the city gate, excitedly saying, "I’m so lucky. I just arrived and ran into you."

Song Xian felt a surge of joy, and the fatigue of the journey melted away.

Sui Liang looked around anxiously and asked, "Did you come alone? Where’s the kid? Where’s my sister?"

"I came from the inn. School’s out, and I stopped by the city gate on my way back to the city," Lvya'er explained. "Sister-in-law is working in the fields, and I don’t know what the kid is up to."

Sui Liang wasn’t satisfied. He stopped the caravan from entering the city and said, "Lvya'er, go back to the inn and bring my sister and the kid to meet me."